Gearshift mechanism



Feb. 13, 1940.

Af vANDERvELD GEARSHIFT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 23, 1935 5 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 13, 1940. A. -VANDERVELD GEARSHIFT MECHAHISM Filed Sept. 25, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 13, 1940.

A. VANDERVELD 2,190,629

GEARSHI'FT MECHANISM Filed sept. `23, 1935 5 sheets-sheet s hvapl Anflbo@ wield W QV a/ome "Feb, 13, 1940. A. VANDERVELD GEARSHIFT MECHANISII! Filed Sept. 25, 1935 5 sheets-sheet 4 wm. wm. QN

hwe Tor l V deweld Feb. 13, 1940. A; VANDERVELD 2,190,629

GEARSHIFT MECHANISM Filed Sept. 23, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 13, 1940 n UNiTED srnrsfsl Gisansnirj'r MECHANISM Anthony Vanderveld, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor of one-half to Liverance & Van Antwerp, w Grand Rapids, Mich., a cci-partnership com.- pcsed of Frank E. Liverance, Jr., Grandi/ille, f

Mich., and Harold 0. Van

Rapids, Mich.

Antwerp, East Grand' `apprearns september sa, 1935, serial No. 41,639

8 Claims.

This invention relates to and is used in connection with change speed gear transmissions, by which rotary motion is imparted from a shaft of a power unit which turns in onel direction to a second shaft to be turned at variable speeds with relation to the speed of the power shaft,

and in the same direction as the power shaft,

or ina direction opposite to the rotation of the power shaft. The primary object of the invention is to use the saniein connection with motor vehicles, utilizing the engine which drives the motorvehicle to operate the transmission gearing and change the same to efectthe several speeds forward and the reverse speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide manually operable means which may be operated to select a particular speed desired and which, when the selecting mechanism is operated, and the clutch interposed between the engine and the propeller shaft ofthe automobile disconnected, the engine will proceed to change the gears to the speed selected. This insures that any change of gearing in the transmission shall take place only when the engine is disconnected therefrom. It is a further object andpurpose of the inventionlto provide a Very compactly arranged mechanism which will yoccupy space in the automobile now unoccupied, and to provide the mechanism of parts which have minimum weight, which are easily manufactured and assembled and enclosed in housings for the protection thereof, and which have strength and ydurability so asto practically serve the purposes for which" they are designed. While I have disclosed the invention as applied to an automobile change speed transmission gearing, the invention is not necessarily limited to automobile or motor vehicle use, but may be applied in many other places where a change of speed of a driven shaft or machine may be desired relative to the speed of rotation of apower shaft which drives the machine or driven shaft. In motor vehicles the power shaft is the crank shaft of the internal conbustion engine now almost universally used in motor vehicles.

Many other objects and purposes together with novel constructions and arrangements of parts for obtaining the same will appear as an understanding of the invention is had from the follow.

hicle and the location of the structure of theV invention with'respect to the engine and transmission gearing.

Fig; 2 is a plan View` of the selector 'buttons and the steering wheel at the center of which the same are preferably, though not necessarily, mounted.

Fig. ,3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the mechanism which is located, preferably at one `sid-e of the transmission gearing, housing, and bymeans of which the selection is attained and the gear shifting accomplished.` Fig. 4 is` a horizontal section therethrough and also through the transmission gearing at one side thereof, the saine being fragmentarilyshown. Fig is a transverse vertical section on the line 5.--5 through the mechanism shown'in Fig. l.

- `Fig. k6` is an elevation, of a single revolution automatic clutch mechanism which is used to effect the in'irnediate`4 gear changing, the housing thereover being shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a vertical'section of the mechanism shown inFig. 6, at right angles thereto. Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary vertical sections substantially on the planes of lines 8 3 and 9 9, respectively, of. Fig. El` looking forward in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Fig, l0v is a fragmentary horizontal section on the plane of line Ill--l` of Fig. 3 looking down- `ward. i v l Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The invention is shown as applied to a motor vehicle having the usual'engine i, clutch and fly-,Wheel casing 2, and transmission casing 3 through and "beyond the rear end of which a shaft i extends which is connected by a .universal i 'g Wheel Sis mounted;

The transmission gearing,V housed within .the transmission housing;` or casing 3, includes a countei'shaft il) above shaft `4 and paralleling whichs a'xed guide rod il. on which two sleeves l2 and i3 `are mounted fory slidable movement. Sleeve i2 has a socket I4 open at one side.' `Extending in opposite direction from the sleeve l2 is a yoke l5 engaging with acollar Itfwhich isconnected withal sliding gear l1, the gear and The'propeller shaft, as isvvell` known,

collar being shiftable along the countershaft l5 when the sleeve i2 is moved on the guide rod li. The socket M is at the upper side of the sleeve l2. The sleeve i3 likewise has a similar socket i8 but at its underside and below the rod H (Fig. 5), and a yoke i9 projects from the sleeve engaging with a collar 20 which is connected with a gear 2l, the collar 20 and the gear 2l being shiftable along the countershaft l with the movements of the sleeve I3.

The shifting of these two yokes and their respective gears causes the usual shifting movement. It is not necessary to further describe in detail the transmission gearing, as such transmission gearing is of standard-and well known construction and well known to all skilled in the art. i

The sockets ld and i8, respectively, (Fig. receive the free ends of arms 23 and 24 which are arms of pivotally mounted levers, one located directly over the other as shown in Fig. 5. These levers extend through a side of the transmission housing and into a second housing 25 located alongside the transmission housing. The second housing has a top or cover 26, bottom 2l, a vertical outer side 28 and vertical ends, and its inner side 29 is provided by the adjacent side of the transmission housing as shown in Fig. 5. A lug 35 extends laterally from said vertical side 2,9. Between it and the cover 2t a vertical pin 3l is mounted upon which journals 32 and 33 are mounted for pivotal movement. It is from these journals that arms 23 and 24 extend to the sockets i4 and I8 as shown in Fig. 5, while other arms 34 and 35 respectively, extend in opposite directions within thehousing 25.' The arms 34 and 35 are provided with U-shaped open sockets 36 and 31, respectively, at'their free ends.

Within the housing 25 and positioned in front of the levers described is a closed housing 38 within which, as will later appear, a one revolution clutch mechanismv is mounted. Housing 38 is disposed with one end against and connected to the common partition 29 between the transmission housing and the housing 25, and extends into the housing 25. From the housing 38 an arm `39 extends outwardly and to the rear at the upper and lower sides of which levers 40 and di, respectively, are pivotally mountedbetween their ends. Said levers are equipped with rounded heads 42 at one end which seat in the sockets 36 and 3l as shown in Fig. 5. Bars 43 44, 45 and l5 are pivotally mounted at their front ends to the levers 40 and 4l. The bars 43 and 4d are pivoted to the lever d at opposite sides and at equal distances from the pivotal axis about which the lever turns. Similarly, the bars and lli are pivotally connected with the front ends to their lower lever 4|. These bars extend rearwardly and are twisted so as to bring their rear end portions in vertical planes, their front end portions lying in horizontal planes. Said bars 53 to 126, respectively, are connected at their rear ends to vertical bars 41 d8, 49 and 5i! which are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a pivot pin 5l which passes through avlug 52 (Figs. 3 and 5) cast integral with 'and extending upwardly from the bottom 2l of the housing 25. of the bars lll `to 5G, inclusive, are guided in suitable slots cut in a lug 53 which is cast with and extends downwardly from the cover 26 of housing 25.A y

A distance below the upper end of `each of the The upper ends bars 4l to 5d, inclusive, a horizontal bar 54 is pivotally connected at its rear end, extending forwardly as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the bars 54 at its front end portion and at its upper side has parts out or machined away, leaving an upwardly extending hook at 55, back of which is a recess 56, and a vertical shoulder 5l at the rear side of the recess 5S.

A second lug 58 is cast with the bottom 2'! of the housing 25 in front of the lug 52 and serves as a support for an inverted U-shaped member having parallel vertical sides 59 connected at their upper ends by an integral cross member 60. The U-shaped member is readily formed from a piece of flat metal bent into the desired shape. Plates @l are permanently secured to the inner side of each of the vertical side members 59 in a position such that the front endsI of the bars 5d lie between said plates with the upper edges of the hook portions 55 slightly below the upper edges of plates 5l, and with the shoulders 57 extending above the upper edges thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.

A horizontal pin 62 extends through and is supported by and between the sides 53 near the rear edge portions thereof and below the bars 5G (Fig. 3). A plurality of bell crank levers, having arms 63 and Eid, are pivotally mounted on the pivot rod 62 and suitably spaced from each other by means of spaced collars (Fig. 8). The arms 53 extend one under each of the bars 5d, there being four bell crank levers and four of the bars 5l?, as shown in Fig. 8. The forward end portions of the bars 5d rest upon the forward ends of the arms 53. The arms 6d of the bell crank levers extend downwardly from the pivot pin G2. A wire 65 is connected to each of the arms 64, there being four of said wires to correspond with the four bell crank levers and the four bars 54. The wires t5 extend forwardly through the front end of the housing 25, and are connected by links S5 to the arms 5l of four bell crank levers which are pivoted at 69 at the lower end of the steering post 8 as shown in Fig. l, the other arms 68 of the bell crank levers coming underneath the lower end of the steering column. Four wire rods 'lll pass downwardly through the steering coliunn to engage against the upper sides and at the free ends of the arms 58. The rods 'ifi at their upper ends carry suitable buttons 'H which are provided with suitable indicating characters which, as shown in Fig. 2, indicate the several speeds of the transmission gearing, such as iirst, second and third forward speeds, and reverse speed.

It is evident that by pressing downwardly, upon a selected button El the associated bell crank lever at the lower end of the steering column will tend to be turned in a clockwise direction thereby pulling the associated wire 65 forward, to turn the bell crank lever to which said wire is connected about the pivot 52, where upon the arm t3 of said last mentioned bell crank lever serves to lift the bar 5d directly beneath which it is located. It is to be understood thatv a suitable housing may be provided at the center of the steering wheel and that the indicator buttons il will extend therethrough so as to be accessible from above for operation.

As shown in Figs. 3 and l0, the lower ends of the arms 64 of the bell crank levers described enter slots l2 cut in .the rear upper corner portion of the part 58. IThere is also a wider slot y 'i3 at one side as shown in Fig. l0, the purpose of which will hereafter appear. A cylindrical stirrup moves a bar 83 longitudinally forward.

passage is bored horizontally through the part 58 andlacross ythe slots 12 wherein fourcylindrical balls 14 are placed, A bar 15 is pivotally suspended from the pivot pin 92 and extends downwardly therefrom in the same direction as the arms 5d of thek bell crank levers and enters the wider space or slot 13. It has a thickened portion 1B at one side to come against one of the balls 14 `(see Fig. 10) preventing any en trance oan arm 54 between any two of the balls until the bar 15 has been moved out of the way. It is also evident that when said bar 15 has been moved out of the way and one of the arms 6d moved forward `between two of the balls, `it is then impossible to move another of the arms 6d in a forward direction, so that there can be a depression of one only of the buttons 1| at a time, and that only when the bar 15 has been mloved out of the way to release the` balls 14.

A bar 11 '(Figs. l 'and 3) is vconnected near the lowerend of niemberk 'i5 and extends forward through the front end of the housing25 and has i pulled in `al; forward ydirection and moves the" member 15 forward to thus free the balls 14 for the passage of an arm 54 of one of the bell crank vers between two adjacent balls; It is accordingly evident that depression of a selector button 1| cantake place only when the clutch has been disengaged through depression of the clutch l pedal l 1.

A stirrup member is pivotally mounted on and depends from the pin b2 having two spaced apart` sides 8| integrally connected at their lower ends byv a cross member 82 which lies in front of the armswll, whereby the stirrup member is turned `clockwise about the axis `of the pin or rod 52 when any one of the selector buttons is pushed down. The forward movement of the said bar at its rear end being connected to one side 8| ofthe stirrup member (Fig. 3). Bar 83, at its' front end, has. a shoulder 94 and a downwardly extending finger 85, to the lower end of which one end of a tension spring 85 is secured, the opposite end being connected to the housing 38. The spring acts to lift the forward end of bar 83 andmove the bar to the rear when free todo so.

The forward portion of bar B3 is guided between two guide members 81 xed to and extendl `to the member 88 to bear against the upper edge rof bar 83.v At its upper end, memberl is con#- nectedto ash'aft 9| which extends through a side of thev housing 3B and. has an arm 92 securedto and depending from the inner end thereof. The lower end of the arm 92 (Fig. '1)` has a lug 93 turned at right angles thereto.

The single revolution clutch mounted within the housing 38 includes a shaft 94 on which a worm gear 95 is keyed near one end of the shaft as shown in Fig'.` 4; There is also splined on the shaft 94, adjacent the worm vgear 95, a disk-like clutch member 96 which is integral or connected with a flanged collar 91, the clutch member 9S having a plurality of spaced apart radial fingers extending therefrom. The wormfgea'r and the shaft 91| are driven by a worm 98 on a shaft 99 (Fig. v'1), which shaft extends forward to the engine and is driven by any suitable rotating part thereof, for example, by a take-off from `a cam shaft fof thek engine. Whenever the engine ly rotated.

An elongated sleeve |09, flanged at its inner` end `as shown in Fig. 4, is loosely mounted on the shaft '94. A cooperating clutch member |9| o2 cup-like form is placed over the sleeve and .against the'ange of the sleeve' |99 lwitha suitable washer, as shown between. A second washer is located at the opposite side. of the clutch member |9| and a iiat disk |92 placed` thereagainst. A spring steel plate.v |93 with `spaced apart radial fingers around its periphery is then placed over sleeve `ilii with the ngers bearing against vthe disk |92, and a nut |94 is threaded into the sleeve againstthe disk |93. The pres'.- sure of the disk |03 against disk .|92 is regulatedby the extent that the nut |94 is screwed,`

onto the sleeve;v The sleeve `and the clutch member normally remain at rest with the shaft 9d rotating within the sleeve.

A disk` |95, havingfa cam tooth |96 projecting from onesside, is fixed to the sleeve 59u and lies against the inner side of the housing 38 (Fig. `4) An irregularly shaped lever llof at metalis located underneath the cam disk m5 and is mounted on a rod |08, having `one arm |99 extending upwardly to one side ofthe disk |95, the

upperendcof the arm having` a rounded terminus as shown at i I9. 'Ihe otherside of the member |91 extends upwardly a shorter dis-` tance and is formed with a hook I underneath which the dog 93 on arm 92 is adapted to engage.

The member |975 isnctched at ||`2 (Fig. '7) at the sidewhere the dog l|| is located and ashort distance above `the lower edge of said member |01.` j Q A bargbent yinto U-shape and having aflower horizontal section H3 with spaced apart upwardly extending arms |I4, |5, is mounted on a rod H6 nearthe lower ends of said sides and in the lplane substantially of the hanged collar Rollers v| |18I are carried by the sides l and H5 `and ride in lthe annular groove of the flanged collar 91. The side ||5 is extended nearly to the top of the housing 33 (Fig. 6) as at H9, and a coiled ,tension` spring |29 is connected thereto at one end and to a side of thehousing 38 at the' other end, the `tendency of which is to turn the member-about the axis of rod H9 (Fig. 6)

in .a clockwise direction and bring the rotating clutch member. 96 into engagement -with the stationary clutch member lill.A However, when `the dog 93 is engaged under thefhook (Fig.

7) the member |91, acting through the arm ||1, stretches-f the spring |20 and holds the clutch members 96 and lill disengaged.

On the outer end of the sleeve i9! (Fig. 4) a cap |2| is threaded so that the cap will rotate with the sleeve. A pin |22 projects from the cap. kTheaxis ofthe pin is .eccentric tothe long5 gitudi'nal axisof shaft 94 and sleeve |00. A grooved disk |23 is carried on the pin |22 outside the housing 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) and an irregularly shaped bar |24, pivoted at its upper end at |25 on the housing 38, is formed with a concaved side to bear against the disk and seat in the groove thereof, and is held against the same by the force of a tension spring |26 connected at one end to the lower end of the member |24 and at lthe other end to the housing 38 (Fig. 3). f

A bar |21 is formedwith an eye at its front end to pass over the pin |22. This bar extends to the rear and is formed at its rear end with a downwardly extending hook portion which rides on the upper edges of the plates 6| (Fig. 3). It is apparent that on rotation of thesleeve the bar |21 is reciprccated and the hooklike head |28 slides back and forth over the supporting plates B! which carry it.

By disconnecting the clutch, through operation of the pedal 1, and the depression of any selected button at 1|, a bar 5t is lifted through the turning movement imparted to the bell crank lever below it. The downwardly extending arm 64 of such bell crank lever, being moved forward, thereupon moves against the part 82 of the stirrup member and moves the bar 83 longitudinally forward whereupon shoulder mi on bar 83 against the hook at 89 serves to turn the shaft 9| until the foot at 93 presses the front end of bar 83 4down far enough to pass by the hook 89. Turning shaft 9! causes the arm 92 (Fig. 7) to move so as to disengage the lug 93 from the hook at This releases memberk i 81 and the arm I1 engaged therewith so that the spring |20 (Fig. 6) moves the rotating clutch member 96 into engagement with the vclutch member i8 The clutch member IBI is thereupon rotated and drives the sleeve |00, the cap |2l secured thereto and moves the pin `|22 through a circular path about the axis of the shaft 94 thereby reciprocating the bar |21.

- When the sleeve |88 has made one reciprocation the cam at |58, riding against the rounded head lll) of arm |39, turns the member |01 so as to lift the bar or finger ||1 stretching spring |26 and disengaging the clutch members. The pressure upon the button at 1l having been released bar 83 is returned to its original position thereby permitting the arm 82 (Fig. f1) to return to original position such that the automatic turning of the member |631 in a clockwise direction causes the same to engage its hook lll with the lug 93 whereby, with this clutch mechanism, one complete revolution and one only is performed upon a single tripping thereof` The bar- |24, acted upon by the spring |26 bearing against the grooved disk |23, acts to move the inactive clutch member to its original position which it had when it started, there being sufficient force in the spring |26 for this purpose, should it stop a short distance from such original position. This action occurs inasmuch as the disk |23.- is mounted upon the eccentrically located pin |22 and the -line of action of thebar H24 due to the spring |26 is arranged to direct the said pin to the desired circumferential position.

The position of the bars 5t, as'shown in Fig. 3, is that which they occupy when the gearing is in neutral, with no gearing connection between the driven shaft 4 of the transmission and the engine of the automobile. If the gearing is in neutral the first or backward movement of the bar |21 when it is reciprocated does nothing to any of the bars 54. One of the bars 54 having been elevated because of the particular selection made depressing a selected button 1|, it is evident that when the bar |21 has reached its rearmost position it drops into the notch 55 of the elevated bar 54, engaging with the hook at 55, so that on the cornpletion of the reciprocatory movement of the bar |21 in a forward direction, it pulls the bar 5d with which it is connected forwardly, and actuates one of the bars 83 to d5, that is, the one which is connected with the particular vertical bar 5|) which in turn is connected with the bar-54 which has been pulled in a forward direction. This causes a movement of either the lever lll) or M, so as to shift a gear from neutral position into meshing engagement with a selected gear of the transmission gearing.

When the next shift of gear is to occur the same operation is performed. The selected button at 1| is depressed contemporaneously with or immediately after the clutch pedal 1 is moved forward and downward. The same single revolution of the one rotation clutch mechanism occurs with the same reciprocation with the bar |21. However, in this operationthe bar 5d which has previously been moved forward has its shoulder 51 engaged by the hook |28 on the rearward movement of bar l21, moving'it back to neutral position and sluiting the gears which have been in mesh to disengaged or neutral position. Then with the completion of the single rotation of the sleeve |88 and the inal forward movement of the bar |21, the selected bar 54 which has been lifted is 'connected with the hook head |28 and is moved forward thereby operating the lever lll or il with which it is connected so as to perform the selected shift of gears. In this way any one of the four gear shifts can be readily performed by merely selecting the particular-button 1| that is needed, and depressing it simultaneously with or after the automobile clutch is disengaged.

When gears of the transmission are engaged and it is desired to place the transmission gearing in neutral, the clutch pedal 1 should be operated and any one of the buttons at 1| depressed and at once released. This .will set the single revolution clutch in operation but will release any bar 54 which has been lifted so that it may drop to its lower position before the forward reciprocatory movement of the bar |21 takes place. vThe only thing that will occur will be that the head |28 will engage against the shoulder 51 of a bar 54| which is in forward position pushing it back to neutral and thereby placing the transmission gearing in neutral.

The construction described is practical and complete. It has'been built and operated and serves the purposes for which it is designed in an especially satisfactory manner. The parts are made in the main from sheet metal stampings, are readily assembled and the cost of manufacture is relatively low. The connection of the clutch member IBI to the sleeve it@ is of a yielding type so that there is no danger of any breakage of parts under any conditions of operation.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

l. In a gear shifting device, a pluralityl of gear Shifters, each including a book and a shoulder back of and above the hook, an actuating member above and extending across the hook portions of all of said gearshifters, means for'reciproj yShifters each including a hook, an` actuating i member located above and across all the hooks,

`eating the actuating device, whereby the same means to longitudinally reciprocate said actuatmg member backy and forth, means to elevate a selected gear shifter into position toleffect con-v nection of the hook thereof with said actuating member, and positivemeans preventingthe simultaneous elevation of two or more of said gear Shifters.

l Shifters, an engine for actuating the'gear shiftl ers, normally disconnected therewith, means for connecting the engine to a selectedv gear shifter;`

means for disconnecting said engine upon com- Ipletion of, a predetermined actuation of said gear shifter and means including an eccentric and a spring actuated fmember riding thereagainst, for returning the rst mentioned means to an identicalvposition after each shifting operation.

4. In a mechanism of the character described,

a plurality of elongated shifting elements mount-4 ed for pivotal and longitudinal movement, a series of pivotally mounted bell crank levers, one

foreach shifting element, an actuating member located adjacent the shifting 4elements and normally disengaged therefrom, means to give the actuating member reciprocatory movements, means iorindividually operating said bellcrank levers, whereby upon the operation of a selected bell crank lever, the shifting element/associated therewith is moved about its pivot into position l to be engaged by the actuating member and to' connect therewith and be moved thereby, as spec- 5. In a motor vehicle having an engine, a sliding gear transmission gearing, and a clutch between the engine and gearing, shifting elements one Vfor each gear change of1 the transmission gearing, a common actuating `memberfor all of the shifting` elements, means including a plural- 6.A construction containingthe elementsin combination defined in claim ,combined with `means for preventing connection of the engine Aand said operating means andfor preventingv 3. Ina gear shifting device, a series of geai@` movement of a selected shifting elementjintoposition to be connected with the actuating means `except when the clutch between the engine and a steering wheel at the upper end of the post, L a selective sliding gear transmission,` gear shifting mechanism associated with said'transmission,

including a plurality of shifting' means, anactu` ating means therefor, a plurality of selective in-` dicators located on `the steering wheel, means between said indicators and the shiftingmeans,

whereby on operation of a' selected indicator, one

of said plurality of shifting means will be moved into `position to engage with the actuating means,

and ymeans for operating thev actuating means from the engine of the automobile, combinedwith means for connecting said actuating means with the engine of the automobile upon operation of any one of said indicators. i

8. In a gear shiftingdevice, a series 'of gear Shifters, a common actuating means for all the gear shifters normally out ofyengagement therewith, means for driving` said commonvact'uating .means including a single revolution clutch, `and means including a plurality of bell cranklevers to manually operate a selected gear shifter`into`-po sition for engagement with the actuating means.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD. n, 

